Dragon-Slaying and Realm-Readying

I’ve been thinking about this line of mine in the months since I wrote it. I’ve been wondering just what it is God wants to do with me right now. Does He want me to learn just a little more about daring before He brings someone alongside me? Does He want me to go on another amazing mission trip, write a novel, complete my college education, or go to Europe?

Confession: I’ve wanted to know so I could go ahead and do it. I’ve looked at it sort of like a to-do list. As if I can check it off, hold it up to my Father, and say, “See here? All done! I’m ready now. Really ready. Promise.”

But that is so, so wrong. And selfish, too.

What if it’s there’s more to this than what I can see? (Isn’t there always?) What if He’s holding this Cinderella in one hand, my Prince Charming in the other, and He hasn’t brought His hands—and us—together yet because both ole Prince C. and I have something to complete? What if it’s not just about me? What if instead of praying God would make me the kind of wife my future husband needs…I prayed for him,too?

I know I’m learning lessons during this season of singleness I wouldn’t learn otherwise. I am learning more about daring. Every day. And I may go on another mission trip, write another novel, and earn my degree before Prince C. shows up. (How about I save the trip to Europe for our honeymoon?)

But, what if, in addition to all God is doing in my life, He’s doing something in the life of my Prince Charming?

Seeing to Someone Else’s Cinderella

What if my Prince Charming has another Princess on his arm at the moment? If he is, I’d want him to treat her well to the glory of God… and, well, I’d really rather not meet him now…

Maybe I better start praying God shows him she’s not me!

Kingdom Building

He could be busy readying his realm. He could be in a similar situation to mine, where he’s churning out essays, laughing with classmates, finishing homework, and learning how to be a better disciple, friend, and servant.

If so, my prayer should be for strength supplied, prayers answered, and lessons learned. After all, I’d like him to know the basics of princely responsibility by the time I meet him. I know I’m learning plenty about true princess behavior right now (and that’s it not all towers and tiaras)!

Dragon Slaying

He could be doing something infinitely more intriguing to me than either of the other two: he could be slaying a dragon for me.

Whether the dragon is in his own heart or elsewhere in his life, it looms with an ominous leer, radiating sweltering heat and threatening to breathe fire into the heart meant for me. I want him to sprint into that lair and slay that dragon.

Oh, I know there will be some dragons we will one day slay together (many, in fact). But it hit me hard the other day that the reason God is keeping this Cinderella safe in her daddy’s castle a while longer could be that Prince C. needs to focus his undivided attention on a certain evil foe. After all, we all know that it never turns out well for the fairytale maiden who meet her true love before the villain is vanquished. She often ends up in a tower with no fire escape or deep in a dark dungeon with some minion standing guard.

No, thank you. I’d rather wait it out here in the Land of Singleness a while longer. With me safely sequestered here seeing to the needs of my heart, my true love can spend all his energy ridding his realm of what could otherwise threaten me. Protecting the princess…isn’t that exactly what good Prince Charmings always do?

God, please give my Prince the strength to slay that dragon, not just so we can meet soon, but because I don’t want to be dangled as dragonmeat.

Rachelle is a freelance editor and an author. Her writing guide, Write Well, unpacks the structure of good writing. Her fiction series follows a love story trying to grow in the turbulent times of the Reformation and Dutch Revolution. She married a man with the same name as her fictional hero.

Community Conversation

Wow-What a wonderful piece to read, Rachelle! Thank you for posting. It made me think. And kinda worry at the same time- maybe my Prince Charming IS with another Princess at the moment. That’s kind of scary to think about. The past couple of months with regards to this, I’ve been feeling like God is wanting me to wait upon Him. What’s funny is the past several years, up to a certain point, I was obsessing over a certain guy, and even now- I still obsess from time to time, but now, I seem to be at peace. This may sound funny, but I am perfectly happy being single. Yes, I do struggle with loneliness a lot at times, but right now the Lord has me in a place of serving Him on deputation to become a missionary to the Philippines. (‘Deputation’ meaning, traveling to different churches, giving a presentation about my ministry in order to raise support to go to the Philippines for a couple of years. =) It’s been an interesting journey so far. Been able to travel all over my home state of Washington, and this weekend will be headed down to Oregon. I would love to get married, but I am reminded that each season is different, and that God makes Everything Beautiful in HIS time. Please continue to write, Rachelle. It’s an encouragement to fellow single gals like myself. God Bless! -Jessica C

This was such fun to read Rachelle! I absolutely enjoyed it, so much that I read it out loud for my sister 😉 I always think of Jeremiah 29:11 and how God always knows what He’s doing. And also Ecclesiastes 3:11 about how He makes all things beautiful IN HIS TIME. God’s got perfect timing. That’s really all that matters. My temprary feelings don’t. All I need to do is keep my eyes on Him and He’ll work out the rest (Matt. 6:33). Thanks for sharing this wonderfully written piece! I will most likely link back to this page from my blog so others can have as much fun reading it.

I was convicted by your reminder to pray for “our men,” Rachelle–thank you. As Beth said, it’s not easy to be a guy in today’s world. Actually, I should be praying for the other men I know, not just my possible future husband! Blessings and grace to you.

I’m thankful that I’m home, safe in my Father’s ‘castle’ as well. God’s timing is best and for now, He has me occupied with many wonderful things that are all in His will for me. I’m content in Christ and nothing could be better!

🙂 I’m so thankful that God has me where I am and it’s perfect for me. Best of all, I get to spend a LOT of time with my family and still pursue something I love. And I’m under my father’s roof, protected and secure. I believe it’s the best place to be until that special guy comes along. 🙂

God’s timing is perfect, eh? I needed to read this as I sit pondering what the next step is in my future. My wise older sister had a plan A and plan B. She pursued plan B (teaching degree) while she waited for plan A (pastor’s wife) and well plan A came through if can guess what that was 🙂

Praying for him has been on my mind a lot. This world doesn’t make it easy for a guy to stay pure in mind and body. I pray for him. And I realize too that there issues being worked through in my own life that would be detrimental to marriage.

Somewhere out there there is a guy on a big adventure like me. And some day if God wills it our adventures will collide and become one grand adventure.

Why don’t we just live our lives in honour to God and not be sitting waiting for our Prince C. to show up? I think we are to occupy “til he comes”. We can’t plan for our honeymoon. I think we should live our lives in honour to Jesus and our fellow man. I know it’s hard…our hearts badly want a man to share our lives with. But our lives should be spent pouring out love to others, living love, mercy and justice before our world. If God so wills He may bring a man, but it is no guarantee. I thought I would married by now. I’m not. I decided that life is too short to waste sitting waiting for life to happen. So I started to live. Truly live and make the most of the time I have now. I went to Europe, explored far off lands. I went on a mission trip clear to the other side of the world. I still don’t have a long term plan for my life. But I know that whatever and where ever I am in life, I’m to live love, mercy and justice to my fellow man. Somehow the idea of sitting snugly in my father’s castle does not sit well with me. We are not born to be safe, we are born to love and to pour out our lives in service. We are not made to sit at home seeing to your own heart’s needs, but to meet the needs of others heart’s and I’ve found in so doing, my own heart’s needs are met. But anyway, maybe I completely misunderstood your point?

Thank you so much for your comment, Christina! I agree with you that we shouldn’t always be sitting on our hands. Like a princess in a tower. 🙂 I’m sorry if I gave you that impression originally. What I meant to convey is my thankfulness that I have my Heavenly and earthly Daddies’ castles to find refuge in right now ~ when I’m not trooping off on international mission trips, of course. 🙂

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[…] and become the princess you’ve always wanted to be, and you mostly won’t even miss Prince Charming by your side because you know he’s got dragons of his own and you’re so focused on the ones your King is helping you vanquish. Then you’ll step […]